Duty

Chapter 66 A little bird told me

There wasn't much to be found, but Torcan would have been surprised if there had been. If lord Vertus had committed treason, it would be unlikely that he brought it to Auros where it could easily be discovered.

They had discussed everything thoroughly with king Marcos and prince Cyrus, also the possibility that lord Izem of Salvire was involved. That part had been painful for Mikos, and Torcan could tell the boy was ashamed of even the thought that this father had anything to do with it.

Nonetheless, Mikos had agreed to be an informant for Darius and tell him everything he'd find. Now, after a few days at Auris, it was time for the Tirèze party to return home. Darius didn't want to leave his kingdom alone much longer, and they didn't want to raise suspicion with the lords.

They travelled through the South and crossed the border at Valais into Tirzé. Another day's ride and they would be home.

Darius had urged Mikos to travel to Tirzé with them before returning home. There were things that needed to be discussed and Darius hadn't forgotten the request the boy had made regarding a certain nomad girl.

They had declined the offer of lord Valerus, Iolaus' father, to spend the night at his estate. Instead they made camp a few hours across the border. It was good to be on their own ground again.

Mikos watched his brother calmly as Torcan made arrangements to set up their camp. It hadn't gone by unnoticed that the rest of king Darius' soldiers avoided him as much as possible, thought they made sure their king wouldn't see.

For reasons unknown to himself, it annoyed Mikos. There was no reason for these men to treat their fellow comrade like that. He wished he could speak up but he knew it was not his place. These were not his men. He didn't want to offend his king by overstepping his boundaries. Not with Salvire already on shaky grounds.

Instead he stood up, pretending to inspect his horse. In truth he followed his brother who was cleaning his gear. "Does it not bother you?" he asked quietly, "the way they treat you? You are the king's right hand. You outrank them."

Torcan didn't look up, but continued to clean his saddle. "Does it bother you?" he asked instead.

Mikos gritted his teeth. A look of frustration was in his eyes. "They shouldn't. They have no right. There is no reason."

"Isn't there?" Torcan asked. He now looked up at his little brother kindly. "Do not feel angered on my behalf. It won't change anything."

Mikos clenched a fist. "Are you not His Majesty's friend? He treats you as such. He could speak up for you." He didn't understand. Why couldn't king Darius say something to his men? Discipline them Order them to treat Torcan like they treated their fellow soldiers?

Torcan looked at him with a mix of amusement and pity. His brother was still so young, in many aspects. "Think about it," he said kindly, "what would happen if he did?"

Mikos narrowed his eyes. "They would have no choice but to follow his command! They wouldn't treat you like you're infested with the plague. They would..." he paused and frowned in thought. Then he let out a sigh. "They would hate you for having the king's favor. They would look at you with even more disdain." Above all, they would mistrust him. And distrust could lead to all kinds of fatal mishaps. Intentional or not.

He sighed again, in frustration this time. "So you just let them treat you like that? Like you are lesser than them? But it's not fair."

Torcan smiled fondly at his younger brother. "It is not what they say or think of me what will make me less. I am my own person. No one's opinion can make me anything else."